Messages revealed through the way the main character solves the case in Agatha Christie`s Black Coffee.
1 ABSTRACT
BRIA SERAN, MARIO LEONARD. The Messages Revealed through the Way The Main
Character Solves the Case In Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letter, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
In this study, the researcher chooses Agatha Christie's work entitled Black Coffee as the object of research. Agatha Christie is well known as a writer of popular literature in the United Kingdom that takes the themes of detective and mysterious stories.This work of literature is worth to be studied, because the story shows social life in various class of society and the context of life.
In order to understand more about this literary work, the researcher formulates the problem into three questions, the first is how the main character Hercule Poirot is described, the second how Hercule Poirot solves a case in the story, and the last is the messages revealed through the way Hercule Poirot solves the case in the story.This research applies the "Moral-Philosophical Criticism" as the approach in analyzing the text itself.This approach emphasizes the intrinsic elements of this works of literatue. The theories used in this research are the theory of character and characterization, as the main focus in this research is the main character of the story. In this research, those theories are used in order to find out how the character solves the cases and reveals the messages of the story.
The results of the analysis are as follows: the main character Hercule Poirot in the story is described as a Belgian, short, bald-headed similar to the egg that he is often proud of and also goes by the nickname of the ‘little grey cells,’ his unique mustache, and often speaks English with French accents and is always dressed neatly. In addition, Hercule Poirot is also described as a neat, tidy, eccentric and also brilliant character. The way Hercule Poirot solves the case in the story began with acquiring information, observing, revealing the actual suspects and the truth, and concluding. The messages revealed through how detective Poirot solves the cases in the story are the crime will always hurts, the death is often unexpected, the truth always prevails, and each person has a reason to commit crime.
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BRIA SERAN, MARIO LEONARD. The Messages Revealed through The Way Main
Character Solves the Case in Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.
Dalam penelitian ini, penulis memilih salah satu karya sastra Agatha Christie yang berjudul Black Coffee sebagai objek penelitian. Agatha Christie dikenal sebagai penulis populer dalam kesusastraan Inggris yang mengambil tema detektif dan kisah-kisah misteri lainnya.Karya Agatha Christie ini layak untuk dipelajari, karena isi cerita ataupun kisah-kisah didalam karya tersebut mengangkat kehidupan masyarakat terutama realita tentang gejolak sosial antara kelas masyrakat tertentu dan juga untuk memahami pesan-pesan dari karya tersebut.
Untuk memahami lebih lanjut tentang karya sastra ini, peneliti memformulasikan permasalahan ini kedalam tiga pertanyaan, yang pertama tentang bagaimana karakter utama Hercule Poirot dideskripsikan, yang kedua tentang bagaimana Hercule Poirot menyelesaikan kasus dalam cerita tersebut, dan yang terakhir tentang apa pesan-pesan telah diungkapkan melalui penyelesaian kasus yang ditangani oleh Hercule Poirot dalam cerita tersebut. Penelitian ini menggunakan "Moral Philosophical" sebagai metode pendekatan dalam menganalisa isi teks karya tersebut. Pendekatan ini menekankan pada elemen intrinsik dari karya tersebut.Teori-teori yang lebih banyak di pakai dalam penelitian ini adalah teori karakater dan karakterisasi, sebab fokus utama dalam hal ini adalah karakter utama dan juga memudahkan penulis untuk mengetahui bagaimana langkah yang dilakukan karakter dalam menyelesaikan kasus dan pesan-pesan yang tersirat dalam cerita tersebut.
Hasil analisis penelitian ini adalah sebagai berikut. Karakter utama Hercule Poirot dalam cerita dideskripsikan sebagai orang yang berkebangsaan Belgia, secara fisik pendek, berkepala botak mirip dengan telur yang seringkali ia banggakan dengan sebutan ‘little grey-cells’, kumisnya yang unik,dan seringkali berbahasa Inggris denganaksen Perancis, selalu berpenampilan rapi.Selain itu juga Poirot dideskripsikan sebagai karakteristik yang rapi dan teratur, eksentrik and juga briliant. Dalam menyelesaikan kasus yang dihadapi Poirot, langkah-langkah yang dilakukan berawal dari memperoleh informasi, observasi, mengungkap pelaku sebenarnya serta kebenaran, dan menyimpulkan kasus tersebut. Dari penyelesaian dan fakta-fakta yang Poirot temukan, ada beberapa pesan yang terungkapkan, Kriminal akan selalu menyakitkan, Kematian seringkali tidak diharapkan, Kebenaran akan selalu menang, dan Setiap orang punya alasan untuk melakukan tindakan kriminal.
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MESSAGES REVEALED THROUGH THE WAY THE MAIN
CHARACTER SOLVES THE CASE
IN AGATHA CHRISTIE’S
BLACK COFFEE
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MARIO LEONARD BRIA SERAN Student Number: 084214027
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA 2015
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i
MESSAGES REVEALED THROUGH THE WAY THE MAIN
CHARACTER SOLVES THE CASE IN AGATHA CHRISTIE’S
BLACK COFFEE
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MARIO LEONARD BRIA SERAN Student Number: 084214027
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA 2015
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“A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he
thinks he becomes.” Mahatma Gandhi
“
THE INTELLIGENCE OF HERCULE POIROT THINGS
ARE SOMETIMES PERFECTLY CLEAR WHICH ARE NOT
AT ALL CLEAR TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT SO
GREATLY GIFTED.”
HERCULE POIROT
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I HEREBY DEDICATE THIS THESIS
AS THE PROOF THAT I ACQUIRE THINGS IN
COLLEGE
SO NO ONE WILL NOT DARE TO DOUBT AND
IGNORE MY BEST EFFORT
FOR MY DEAREST FAMILIES,
FRIENDS,
AND
THE SPIRIT OF OTHER FAMILY MEMBER IN
KINGDOM OF LORD GOD
WHO GAVE EVERYTHING AND PUT FAITH ON ME
AS THE KEY TO BUILD MY GREAT FUTURE
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viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
At first, I want to praise my honor to Lord God, His-son Jesus and Saint
Mary for enlightening the way to succeed. I would like to thank the following
people: Mr. Hirmawan Wijarnaka for the time to assist and guide me to complete
this thesis with his ideas and suggestions. Also Mr. J. Harris Hermansyah Setiajid
as the reader for reviewing this research regarding to the contents of this thesis
and recommending some revisions.
I would like to say my thanks to the buddies of JAKSA‟s for being my family in bad and good circumstances to give the experience so others may
follow, which I will not forget. I would like to say thanks also to UKM KSR
UNIT VI for the lessons to build my character for the best toward this mortal
World and without their knowledge I might stand in a very difficult position of
my life.
I would also give my unforgotten gratitude to all my friends in Fakultas
Sastra: Paolo Lando, Bagas, Dimas, and Dedi for the shared experience in my study. and to the others as my seniors and colleagues: Hario, Kenan, Jati “Dito” Pradipta, Herman, Adit, Immanuel Agung, Riris, Vindy and other known buddies.
This effort will never exist if I give up like a loser who lost in fight. In fact, I can make it. I‟m able not only to gain knowledge in study, but also to recognize everything connected to the universe. I‟m fully aware that standing alone to face the odds in this study is not always a part of the effort.
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I know there are some mistakes I showed with my attitude and manner that
are very unappropiate during my time in Sanata Dharma University and
elsewhere. So, I sincerely apologize for that. This thesis cannot be completed
without some advices from friends in The Department of English Letters and
guidance from the lecturers, advisors and seniors.
At last, I thank Sanata Dharma University for letting me study in the
institution and build my skill and knowledge, so that I stand to make a good future
in this mortal world.
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Table of Contents
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL PAGE...ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE...iii
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY...iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH...v
MOTTO PAGE ... vi
DEDICATION PAGE ... vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...x
ABSTRACT ... xii
ABSTRAK ... xiii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...1
A. Background of the Study ...1
B. Problem Formulation ...4
C. Objectives of the Study ...4
D. Definition of Terms ...5
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...7
A. Review of Related Studies ...7
B. Review of Related Theories ...9
1. Theory of Character and Characterization. ...9
2. Theory of Plot and Conflict ... 12
3. Theory of Message ... 13
C. Theoretical Framework ... 14
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ... 16
A. Object of the Study ... 16
B. Approach of the Study ... 17
C. Method of the Study ... 18
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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ... 19
A. The Characteristic of Hercule Poirot ... 19
1. Neat and Tidy ... 20
2. Eccentric... 21
3. Brilliant ... 22
B. The Way Detective Hercule Poirot Solves the Case... 23
1. Acquiring the Information ... 23
2. Observing ... 32
3. Revealing the actual suspect and the truth ... 35
4. Concluding ... 37
C. The Messages Revealed through the Way Hercule Poirot Solved the Case In The Story. ... 39
1. The crime will always hurt ... 39
2. The death is often unexpected ... 40
3. The truth always prevails ... 40
4. Each of person has a reason to commit crime ... 41
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 43
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 47
APPENDIX ... 49
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xii ABSTRACT
BRIA SERAN, MARIO LEONARD. The Messages Revealed through the Way
The Main Character Solves the Case In Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letter, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
In this study, the researcher chooses Agatha Christie's work entitled Black Coffee as the object of research. Agatha Christie is well known as a writer of popular literature in the United Kingdom that takes the themes of detective and mysterious stories.This work of literature is worth to be studied, because the story shows social life in various class of society and the context of life.
In order to understand more about this literary work, the researcher formulates the problem into three questions, the first is how the main character Hercule Poirot is described, the second how Hercule Poirot solves a case in the story, and the last is the messages revealed through the way Hercule Poirot solves the case in the story.This research applies the "Moral-Philosophical Criticism" as the approach in analyzing the text itself.This approach emphasizes the intrinsic elements of this works of literatue. The theories used in this research are the theory of
character and characterization, as the main focus in this research is the main character of the story. In this research, those theories are used in order to find out how the character solves the cases and reveals the messages of the story.
The results of the analysis are as follows: the main character Hercule Poirot in the story is described as a Belgian, short, bald-headed similar to the egg that he is often proud of and also goes by the nickname of the „little grey cells,‟ his unique mustache, and often speaks English with French accents and is always dressed neatly. In addition, Hercule Poirot is also described as a neat, tidy, eccentric and also brilliant character. The way Hercule Poirot solves the case in the story began with acquiring information, observing, revealing the actual suspects and the truth, and concluding. The messages revealed through how detective Poirot solves the cases in the story are the crime will always hurts, the death is often unexpected, the truth always prevails, and each person has a reason to commit crime.
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xiii ABSTRAK
BRIA SERAN, MARIO LEONARD. The Messages Revealed through The
Way Main Character Solves the Case in Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.
Dalam penelitian ini, penulis memilih salah satu karya sastra Agatha Christie yang berjudul Black Coffee sebagai objek penelitian. Agatha Christie dikenal sebagai penulis populer dalam kesusastraan Inggris yang mengambil tema detektif dan kisah-kisah misteri lainnya.Karya Agatha Christie ini layak untuk dipelajari, karena isi cerita ataupun kisah-kisah didalam karya tersebut mengangkat kehidupan masyarakat terutama realita tentang gejolak sosial antara kelas masyrakat tertentu dan juga untuk memahami pesan-pesan dari karya tersebut.
Untuk memahami lebih lanjut tentang karya sastra ini, peneliti memformulasikan permasalahan ini kedalam tiga pertanyaan, yang pertama tentang bagaimana karakter utama Hercule Poirot dideskripsikan, yang kedua tentang bagaimana Hercule Poirot menyelesaikan kasus dalam cerita tersebut, dan yang terakhir tentang apa pesan-pesan telah diungkapkan melalui penyelesaian kasus yang ditangani oleh Hercule Poirot dalam cerita tersebut. Penelitian ini menggunakan "Moral Philosophical" sebagai metode pendekatan dalam menganalisa isi teks karya tersebut. Pendekatan ini menekankan pada elemen intrinsik dari karya tersebut.Teori-teori yang lebih banyak di pakai dalam penelitian ini adalah teori karakater dan karakterisasi, sebab fokus utama dalam hal ini adalah karakter utama dan juga memudahkan penulis untuk mengetahui bagaimana langkah yang dilakukan karakter dalam menyelesaikan kasus dan pesan-pesan yang tersirat dalam cerita tersebut.
Hasil analisis penelitian ini adalah sebagai berikut. Karakter utama Hercule Poirot dalam cerita dideskripsikan sebagai orang yang berkebangsaan Belgia, secara fisik pendek, berkepala botak mirip dengan telur yang seringkali ia banggakan dengan sebutan „little grey-cells‟, kumisnya yang unik,dan seringkali berbahasa Inggris denganaksen Perancis, selalu berpenampilan rapi.Selain itu juga Poirot dideskripsikan sebagai karakteristik yang rapi dan teratur, eksentrik and juga briliant. Dalam menyelesaikan kasus yang dihadapi Poirot, langkah-langkah yang dilakukan berawal dari memperoleh informasi, observasi, mengungkap pelaku sebenarnya serta kebenaran, dan menyimpulkan kasus tersebut. Dari penyelesaian dan fakta-fakta yang Poirot temukan, ada beberapa pesan yang terungkapkan, Kriminal akan selalu menyakitkan, Kematian seringkali tidak diharapkan, Kebenaran akan selalu menang, dan Setiap orang punya alasan untuk melakukan tindakan kriminal.
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1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature is a medium of writing which share authors‟s expression about their feeeling, thoughts, ideologies, and experiences that happen from time to time. Rees defines literature is “a permanent expression in words of thoughts or feelings in ideas about life and the world” (1973: 2). Literature has three genres; prose, drama and poetry. Novel is a literary imaginative work whose content has been invented in author‟s imagination. Gioia and Kennedy define novel is “an extended work of fictional prose narrative. It usually implies a book-length
narrative has more characters, more varied scenes, and broader coverage of time
than a short story” (2007: 16).
In this thesis, the researcher analyzes one kind of novel which takes a
theme of detective, or widely known as detective novel. Detective novel is a
genre of fiction in which a detective, either an amateur or a professional, solves
a crime or a series of crimes. The detective might be a private investigator, a
police officer, or any other people having a keen sense of investigations. Their
characteristics are familiar to reader because their role in the story and the way
to solve the case by applying hyphotheses method and other skills. According to Alexander, “detective story is a narrative in which a character solves a crime, usually, but not always murder, by examining multiple clues and considering a
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closed circle of suspects. Detective fiction by definition contains a sleuth, a villain, and a victim or victims of a crime, usually murder” (2010: 6).
James states that, “the detective story is one of the most versatile, fascinating and resilient forms of Popular literature. It is also of the most
paradoxical. The detective story has its heart of a crime, usually the crime of
murder, often in its most horrific form, and yet we read the novels primarily for
relaxation, entertainment, a relief from traumas, and anxieties of everyday life.
Its Story is concerned about great issues with life, death, justice, retribution,
remorse; yet it uses as the instruments of that justice the ephemeral clues and
incidents of everyday life” (1997: 4). In other words, detective story is a
medium that represents a reality of life which filled with so many issues and problematic matters that occured in middle of people‟s business.
In Patrick A. Velardi‟s journal which taken from the internet http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1989/4/89.04.09.x.html:
He said “reading crime fiction and detective fiction is a splendid means of accomplishing plot recognition. Detective fiction allows readers to get tune with
the author, and then with the characters in a book. Detective fiction has played
and continues to play a complex and curious role in relation to the broader field of literature” (1989: 1). It means that detective fiction invites the readers to follow the whole story in order to understand what the story is about, how a
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The researcher chose Agatha Christie‟s Black Coffee as object of the
literary research. Christie made main character of detective „Hercule Poirot‟ as her one of the best detective in the novel. This novel displays the way of main character solves a case on the story which draws reader‟s attention in solving a crimes by using his skills, like examining any possibilities, searching for clues in the crime scene, or even inquiry to figure out who the real „culprit‟ is behind the crime. Those action are seen as the way a detective relies mostly on deductive
skill or any other intelligent skill to understand everything related to the case. The main character‟s role as the detective is not only solving crimes in the story, but also restoring the public‟s law and order. In addition, detective story or other fiction also shows the social struggle which often occurs in the middle of
society. and most of detective fiction seems to be like a „puzzle‟ which makes both researcher and reader impressed with the way they perform in the story.
The researcher also understands that the detective fiction mostly developed in
British based on its culture and the development of English literature.
Agatha Christie is a prominent writer in the most flourishing period of the English Literature in Crime. She‟s the creator of two the most enduring figures of Crime literature – Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. Black Coffee also created in 1930 as a stage play and faithfully adapted by by Charles Osborne.
The detective novels in literature show the conflict between two opposing
forces. The similar ideas are also explained by Stephen Knight in states that “the
story of detective novels also socially enclosed: lower classes, especially
professional criminals, play very minor roles. The criminal comes from among
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the social circle of victim and they rarely guilty and if so will usually be in some
form of social disguise” (1980: 78). Knight acknowledges that detective story shows a criminal in the story might be person who appears to ruin other people‟s life, because a criminal‟s past was also in relation with the circumstances of other people.
The focus of this literary research is to seek the messages revealed inside
the story as the context of life or truth about situation of people in their life, as
seen through the way of the main characater detective Hercule Poirot solves the
case.
B. Problem Formulation
In this literary research, there are three problems formulated in Black Coffee as follows:
1. How is the main character Hercule Poirot described in Black Coffee? 2. How does Hercule Poirot in Black Coffee solve the case on the story? 3. What are the messages revealed through the way Hercule Poirot solves
the case in the story?
C. Objectives of the Study
In this thesis, the researcher aims first to find out the description of the
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case on the story and find the truth behind it. Finally, the messages can be revealed through the character‟s way to solve the case.
D. Definition of Terms
In order to understand the study of revealing the possible messages
delivered through the main character and its characterization on the story, it is
also important to give a specific explanation about the terms used in this literary
research. This is meant to achieve a clear understanding on the study.
Character: according to Abrams, “Character is the person represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who is interpreted by the reader as being endowed
with particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from
the person and the distinctive of saying it – the dialogue and from what they do –
the actions” (1981: 32-33). Character in the works of literature appears with
particular personalities and physical attributes that distinguish them from other
Characters.
Message: In every work of literature consists of moral message inside. It is exemplary that the author wants to express something to the reader through
the story. The form of message appear in literary works depends on the author‟s
perspective, belief, and ideology. Sinclair defines message as “an idea that someone tries to communicate to people. For example in a play, speech, or the meaning, the thought or idea, that is intended, to express” (1988: 490). The
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example form of message can be informed in terms of valuable of words, advice, and God‟s commandment as guidance to give advice and enlightenment.
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7 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
In this part the researcher tries to use reviews of other related studies
previously done by other researchers on discussing the works, topics and also expert‟s criticism about the works or other related studies.
Scaggs states that “detective fiction is about maintaining social and the
status quo. The work of Agatha Christie neatly summarises the central fear articulated in „Golden Age‟ fiction, that the threat of social disruption comes from within. In her works, this impulse to recover and reinstate the sort of order
that existed in the past is a direct response to disruption in the present caused by the crime of murder. For this reason, it is significant that Poirot‟s method consists of the observing and ordering of facts. It is also Poirot‟s aim and purpose to restore order after it has been disrupted by crime” (2005: 46-47). Scaggs discusses the topic of detective story in general perspective on Agatha Christie‟s works and his opinion on character detective Poirot‟s role in Christie‟s novel is to make things right and orderly through Poirot‟s method. However, the researcher finds the topic is different from the researcher‟s topic which discusses message in Black Coffee.
Another related study is Onderková‟s thesis “Sherlock Holmes vs. Hercule Poirot: The Comparison A.C. Doyle‟s and A. Christie‟s Great Detectives”,
stated that “the figure of the Great Detective displays the essence of the story.
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Detective character is the driving force of the the novel, he or she gives
movement to the rather static motif of crime and its accompanying mystery. His
character forms the nature of the whole story – its development, the suspense it
involves, and its final solution. As in Agatha Christie‟s Hercule Poirot follows
the other detective character‟s model of an eccentric and brilliantly clever detective who has no relatives, no friends except for his companion Hastings
(based on the Holmes-Watson model) and no personal life; he shows no
development throughout the story and has hardly any of which he considers
senseless, but his method of investigation differs from other known detectives.
Poirot is able to analyze the problem and deduct a solution, he observes clues
and examine the facts, but he much more relies on his deep knowledge of human
psychology, and his investigations are largely based upon long and detailed
interrogations.” (2005: 13-24). Onderková‟s topic discusses the comparative study about two character detectives, Sherlcok Holmes and Hercule Poirot. She learns that there are some differences between both character detectives which
seen through their method, behavior, manner, and style in solving a certain case. The researcher finds Onderková‟s topic is different which discusses about character development on detective.
Carl E. Rollysonstates that “Agatha Christie has helped created the form of
classic detective fiction, in which a murder is committed and many are
suspected. In the end, all but one of the suspects are eliminated, and the criminal
dies or is arrested. Working within these conventions, Christie explored their
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the charm of her works derives from its use the novel manners tradition, as she
explores upper middle class life in the English village, a millieu that she made
pecuarly her own” (2008: 320).
The related studies above does not discuss „message‟ and those studies focusing on character and characterization from different perspectives in
mystery writings. However, this analysis is different from the review above,
because in this thesis the researcher wants to analyze and understand the
messages or moral lesson revealed by main character in the novel.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization.
Character and characterization are two elements in the literature which
supporting the way of a works of literature‟s movement. In analyzing fiction,
Character may be characterized by the author „explicitly‟ by the description and „implicitly‟ by their usage of language, thoughts and behavior.
The idea of character and characterization is also described by S.H.
Butcher. He states that “character determines men‟s qualities, but their actions that are happy or reverse as in „dramatic action‟. Therefore, it is not with a view to the representation of character, it comes in as subsidiary to the actions. Character also reveals „moral purpose‟, showing what kind of things a man avoids” (2000: 11).
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Character is an important element in the story. The stories always
introduce their characters to give a description to the readers. Abrams states “that the persons are presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional
qualities that are expressed in what they say - the dialogue - and what they do -
the action” (Abrams, 1981: 32-33).
Childs and Fowler state that “Character is the fictional representation of a person, which likely to change, both as a presence in literature and as an object
of critical attention, much as it changes in society. Ideas of the place of human in
social order, of human individuality and self-determination, clearly shift
historically and this often mimed in literature by relation of characters to actions
or webs of story. The idea of character often attaches, therefore, to the personalizing or humanizing dimension of literature” (1987: 23).
According to Booth, Hunter,and Mays, Characterization is “the art and technique of representing fictional fictional personages which depends upon action or plot as well as narration and point of view” (2006: 140).
Bonn defines „Characterization‟ as the process by which an author creates vivid, believable characters in a work of art. This may be done in a variety ways,
including;
1.) Direct description of the character by the narrator.
2.) The direct presentation of speech, thoughts, or actions of the character,
and
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Characterization is used step by step in literature to highlight and explain the
details about a character in a story. It is in the initial stage where the author
introduces the character with the noticeable emergence and then following the
introduction of the character, the author often talks about his behavior; then as
the story progresses, the thought process of the character. The next step involves
the character expressing his opinions and ideas and getting into conversations
with the rest of the characters. The final part shows how others in the story respond to the character‟s personality.
According to Holman and Harmon, there are three fundamental methods of
characterization in Fiction:
a) The explicit presentation by the author of the character through direct
Exposition, either in an introductory block or more often piecemeal
through out the work, illustrated by actions.
b) The presentation of the character in action, with little or no explicit
comment by the author, in expectation that reader will be able to deduce
the attributes of actor from actions.
c) The representation from within character, without comment on the
character by the author, of impact of actions and emotions on the other
character inner self, with the expectation that the reader will come to a
clear understanding of attributes of the character (1986: 81).
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12 2. Theory of Plot and Conflict
Plot in dramatic or narrative works is constituted by its events and actions,
as these are rendered and ordered toward achieving particular artistic and
emotional effects. This description is deceptively simple, because the actions are
performed by particular characters in a work, and are means by which they
exhibit their moral and dispositional qualities (Abrams, 1999: 224).
Annas and Rosen state that “a fictional plot is usually based on or driven by
„conflict‟ that is opposition or antagonism between two elements” (2007: 1474). Plot is the actual story which the entire book is based. It should have a very clear
point from the beginning, middle and end, with all the necessary description and suspense, so that the reader can make sense of the action and follow along from
the start to finish.
In Kenney‟s How to analyze Fiction, “plotof a story is deals with the events
that occure in temporal sequence.The event connects each other. They
emphasize falling on casualty. Plot makes us aware of events not merely as elment in temporal series but also as an intricate pattern of cause and effect” (1966: 14).
Conflict is the central source of tension and drama in the story. Conflict is
the driving force behind many plots. It also sometimes referred to as the story problems. Holman and Harmon defined „conflict‟ is “the struggle that grows out of the interplay of two opposing forces in a plot. Conflict provides interest,
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suspense and tension. And at least one of the opposing forces is usually a person” (1986: 107).
Conflict may come from:
a. Outside : the main character may be in conflict with the „external forces‟ such as his or her family, society, physical hardship or nature. b. Within : the character may be forced to make a difficult choice, or he
may have to question his values and beliefs (Meyer, 2011: 50).
3. Theory of Message
The message in Literature is usually closely connected to the main „themes‟ of the story and can be defined as the author‟s intentions with the story. The message on literature from some point of view might be an ‟idea‟. It come from the way of character thinking and action which refer to something
happened.
Roberts and Jacobs in An Introduction to Reading and Writing Fiction, states that “idea is connected to actions of seeing and knowing. An idea was considered as conceptual „Form‟ as opposed to external reality. It also requires much knowledge, understanding, and thought. Ideas involve the interrelation of
thinking and knowing” (1989: 363).
A message is what most people find enough to do. It is easier with this
method because it resembles the one that works for ordinary acts of
communicating (Kermode, 1983:138). Another perspective in The Enigma of Good and Evil The Moral Sentiment in Literature, states that „Message‟ in the novel that serves something about the everyday world. Whatever the message
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is, the reader rarely takes up such a symbolization in a way that he lives that
message as his destiny (Tymieniecka, 2005: 529).
In Literatures, „message‟ has a purpose as the main point that an author want to share about their life, ideology, struggle and their world.
C. Theoretical Framework
The topic that the researcher wants to study in this thesis is to seek and
understand the message that are revealed in the story through the Character, Plot
and Message in Black Coffee. To discover and understand the messages, the researcher uses several theories that considered important to the topic, such each
theories on character, theories on characterization, theories on plot and conflict,
and theories on messages.
The researcher applies the theory on character and characterization
because it is important to specifically understand the characters in the novel in
order to discover deeply about the messages. From the characters, the researcher
could find other point such, honesty, knowledge, intelligence, loyalty, betrayal,
love, marvelous, forgiveness and reconciliation, and generosity.
Theories on plot and conflicts also considered important for the thesis,
because the researcher can discover the matters that happened in the story. From
the plot, it seems interesting how the character‟s role and interacts with the
conflict and another characters.
To reveal the messages, the researcher applies theories on messages.
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character says and the problem is, what the characters do and respond, are taken
as the form or suggestion which are revealed the message of the story. Theory of
message is important for the researcher in order to understand the messages of
the story that an author wants to express and share with the readers.
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16 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The work of literature that the researcher analyzed in this thesis is Agatha
Christie‟s Black Coffee. The novel was first published in 1998 by Harper
Collins, United kingdom. The researcher used the novel which is published in
the United States, 1998. The book consists of 290 pages and 20 Chapters. Black
Coffee was written by an English author Agatha Christie. The works of Agatha
Christie remained a favorite literature and it would be marvelous to give the world of new Agatha Christie‟s detective novel. The analysis focuses on the character and searches for the messages from the text so that the reader
understands the meaning of them. The summary of the study is given as follows. The genre of the story is a „crime novel‟.
The novel focuses on the role of famous Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot.
The story begins with Detective Hercule Poirot is called upon by physician
named Sir Claud Amory. Sir Claud Amory is the member of the Government
who is working on such most important project for Ministry of Defence. Sir
Claud Amory has been working on the formula for a new type of explosive. Sir
Claud Amory has reason to suspect that a member of his household is attempting
to steal the Formula. Unfortunately, detective Hercule Poirot and his colleague
Captain Arthur Hastings arrived too late at the place and found that Sir Claud
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coffee while he was still sitting in the library and the formula was missing too.
And as the clock is ticking detective Hercule Poirot must solves the case and identifies a potent brew of despair, treachery, and deception amid the mansion‟s occupants. And detective Hercule Poirot races against the time to find the
formula and the killer.
Based on the information and explanation about the novel, the researcher
intends to focus on the main character‟s thought, act or attitudes, dialogue and conflict to reveal the message.
B. Approach of the Study
Constantakis defines criticism as “an essay commissioned by the author which specifically deals with the novel and is written specifically for the
audience” (2009: xii). Holman and Harmon classified the criticisms according to
its purpose, one of those purpose is “to interpret works to readers who might otherwise fail to understand or appreciate them” (1986: 126).
In order to analyze this thesis, the researcher uses „moral-philosophical approach‟ as additional criticism to the analysis Agatha Christie‟s Black Coffee. It is essential for the researcher to understand the meaning of the „moral -philosophical approach‟ before the approach is applied to this research. Guerin
states that, “the moral philosohical approach is as old as classical Greek and
Roman Critics. The basic position of such critics is that the larger function of
literature is to teach morality and to probe philosophical issues. They would
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interpret literature within a context of the philosophical thought of a period or group” (1999: 77).
C. Method of the Study
In completing this thesis, the researcher took several steps, The
researcher applied access search from the internet and library. There were some
sources used in this study such as, Agatha Christie‟s novel Black Coffee as the
primary source, the others are internet sources and reference books that
provided the literary theories of character, characterization, plot, and message
which was essential for the study, literary approaches of the works of literature,
related studies, some review of expert‟s critic which were used as a secondary
sources.
The steps conducted in this research were firstly the researcher read the
novel Black Coffee. The researcher understood what the author‟s intentions and some points. Secondly, the researcher analyzes formulates the problem of
formulation into three problems.
The last step, the researcher drew a conclusion for the three problem
formulations after the analysis part had been done. In making conclusion, the
researcher concluded from all analysis, starting with the description of the main
character in the story and what the message or moral values are revealed in the
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19 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
A. The Characteristic of Hercule Poirot
The researcher begins the analysis with the main description of detective
Hercule Poirot. In the novel, detective Hercule Poirot is physically described as
a Belgian, an extraordinary looking little man, five feet four inches high, has
bald-headed looks exactly the shape of an egg, waxed moustache, and dresses on
very neatly. As his usual habits, Poirot cares very much to his head which referred as „little grey cells of the brain‟ and his moustache which is very distinctive like a militaryman.
an extraordinary-looking little man, hardly more than five feet four inches in height, who carried himself with great dignity. His head was exactly the shape of of an egg, and he carried it at a slightangle, like an inquiring terrier. His moustache was distinctly stiff and military. He was very neatly dressed (Christie, 1998: 78).
Poirot is a Belgian and basically his mother-tongue is French. The way he
speaks in English sounds mixed with French accents, and politely use some of
French expressions to address other people. There are numbers of the French expressions he‟s using when interact with the other people.
When Poirot is talking on the telephone with someone, he expresses with the
French expression of allo. “Allo, it is Hercule Poirot who speaks, he annouced
with the mouthpiece” (Christie, 1998: 10). In the conversation with a lady,
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Poirot politely addresses with mademoiselle. “You must have courage, mademoiselle” (Christie, 1998: 89).
When he was in Belgia, Poirot served as a member of Belgian Police Force. His
action in solving crimes made him very well-known among the agencies of law
enforcement in Europe.
“Mr. Poirot and I go back way. You‟ve heard me speak often of him. He was still a member of the Belgian Police Force when we first worked together” (Christie, 1998: 199).
1. Neat and Tidy
Detective Poirot in the novel is also seen as the character who has an
obsession and criticizes the neatness and tidiness of everything in order and
always the part of his habits such as looking and arrange things upon the setting
of room, decoration, the way of his or other people dressing and etc. According to his colleague, Captain Hastings, Poirot‟s obsession to the neatness and tidiness are the parts of his method in investigating a case and also affect his
personalities.
For instance, he has an absolute passion for neatness of any kind. If he sees an ornament set crookedly, or a speck of dust, or even a slight disarray in
someone‟s attire, it‟s absolute torture him (Christie, 1998: 208).
This personalities can be seen when Poirot is at his own flat in London. He is
very keen to put his document neatly and in good place, even those documents are very old to be discarded. “Meticulously tidy as always, had placed the
discarded envelopes in one neat pile” (Christie, 1998: 1). And even at the house
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adhesion points on its property because what his vision to the neatness and
tidiness would affect his way to investigate the case occured in the house of Sir Claud Amory. “Beware!” said Poirot. “The symmetry, it is everything.
Everywhere there should be neatness and order” (Christie, 1998: 119-120). On
the the hand, these personalities are also taking part in Poirot‟s way to investigate case, particularly on the crime scene.
2. Eccentric
Poirot sometimes behaves an „eccentric,‟ because he considers himself as a person who is not so special to other people, especially when he is invited by
an important person to be some sort of assisstance. This personality makes
detective Poirot acts awkward occasionally. “I wonder – can Sir Claud want to engage Hercule Poirot to be a tired old watchdog?” (Christie, 1998: 9).
In front of other people, this personality occured in the way he investigates a
case and feels something that made him hardly discovering the clues which
cannot be understood by common people.
“For the moment, I am content to wait. As I to why I wait – eh bien, to the
intelligence of Hercule Poirot things are sometimes perfectly clear which are not at all clear to those who are not so greatly gifted” (Christie, 1998: 108).
This personality is also considered as the way of Poirot to think about
something that has any relation to the case and as an imagination which is not
so clear for another characters. And this personality might also influence Poirot‟s way solving the case on the scene.
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Poirot is a brilliant character in the story, because his deduction impresses
the other characters and also makes an impressive theory about the case he is
working on and the background of people who has involved in it. Related to Sir Claud Amory‟s concern about the formula, detective Poirot thought that if someone wants to get that formula, he or she might be important person
working for foreign country who happens tolive inside Sir Claud‟s house. “Curious, as he thought, Foreign agents might well be interested in Sir Claud‟s formula” (Christie, 1998: 12).
When he is talking about the missing formula, Poirot brings up an
intermezzo tale which sounds interesting and draws attention. “You see, someone told me the other day a most amusing story. The story of the empy
bottle –there was nothing in it” (Christie, 1998: 87). He also doesn‟t act rashly to confirm the truth about what was really happened to Sir Claud Amory and
the missing formula and Poirot‟s impression involves the knowledge and manners.
“No, I do not think I can reveal that to you at this stage of the game, My friend,” he replied mischievously. “Let us just say just say that, as the magicians on the stage like to assure us, the quickness of the hand deceives the eye” (Christie, 1998: 107).
By looking at some points on the case, detective Poirot is quickly able to
know about someone and everything related to the crime scene. “It is my business to know things” (Christie, 1998: 194).
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B. The Way Detective Hercule Poirot Solves the Case
By understanding the characterization of the characters, the researcher is
able to discover the messages of story. In this part of study, the researcher
focuses on detective Hercule Poirot‟s way to solve the case. As a detective, Poirot has conducted some steps of his investigation on the death of Sir Claud,
recovered the missing formula and revealed the real culprit. The following
steps are detective Poirot‟s way to solve the case.
1. Acquiring the Information
a. Sir Claud’s concern about the Formula
Detective Poirot recognized Sir Claud Amory as a the famous Scientist,
Poirot recalled a conversation they ever had in the past few months concerning
the Empire‟s missing documents about the government‟s scandal. And
detective Poirot knew that Sir Claud‟s works had a role any war.
“Ah yes,” Poirot mused. “The famous scientist.” He remembered a
conversation he had had some months previously with a member of His
majesty‟s government, after Poirot had retrieved some missing documents
whose contents could have proved embarrassing. “For instance,” he had said, “what Sir Claud Amory is working on now is of such fantastic importance in any future war” (Christie, 1998: 9).
On the conversation with Sir Claud Amory, Detective Poirot just learnt
that Sir Claud had developed a formula for atomic bomb which was regarded
very important to the Ministry of Defence. Sir Claud explained Poirot his
suspicion that someone in his residence wanted to steal the formula.
“My name is Sir Claud Amory, Claud Amory. I‟ve got a devilishly tricky problem on my hands or rather, might I have. I‟ve been working on a formula to bombard the atom –I won‟t go into details, but the Ministry of Defence regards it as of the utmost importance. I have reason to suspect
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that a member of my household is attempting to steal the formula” (Christie, 1998: 10-11).
In the residence of Sir Claud Amory, there were at least six occupants,
Richard Amory, the son of Sir Claud, Lucia Amory, the wife of Richard,
Caroline Amory, the spinster sister of Sir Claud Amory, Dr. Carelli, the Italian
gentleman and who is also known as a friend of Lucia, Barbara, the niece of
Caroline and Edward Raynor, a secretary who worked for Sir Claud.
Sir Claud also annouced his concern as well to the family, so it would not
cause any sudden panic among them. He had reason to believe that someone
among them was about to steal the formula. In order to prevent any potential
crimes, Detective Poirot had been invited, so he could retrieve the formula and
personally deliver it to an official at the Ministry of Defence in London.
“Because I have had occasion for some time to believe that a member of this household was attempting to steal the Amorite formula. I had asked Monsieur Poirot to join us tomorrow for the weekend, so that he could take the formula back to London with him on Monday, and deliver it personally to an official at the Ministry of Defence” (Christie, 1998: 68).
Sir Claud described the formulais written on an ordinary sheet of
notepaper, enclosed in a long envelope. Obviously, it was stolen from the safe
in the evening before dinner. “The formula, written on an ordinary sheet of
notepaper and enclosed in a long envelope, was stolen from my study sometime before dinner this evening” (Christie, 1998: 69).
b. The Death of Sir Claud Amory
When detective Poirot and Captain Hasting arrived at the house, they just
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death of Sir Claud Amory seems awkward and according to Lucia, Sir Claud‟s condition was fine and strange if Sir Claud suddenly died through that way.
“There‟s something wrong about all this. My father-in-law‟s heart was
perfectly all right” (Christie, 1998: 83).
The cause of Sir Claud‟s death was fuzzy and when Dr. Carelli first checking on Sir Claud‟s body, it seemed that Sir Claud got a heart-attack. The statement is unacceptable,because Sir Claud‟s condition is known fine. And Lucia recalled that Sir Claud said something strange with the taste of his coffee
which she is not understand about.
“Didn‟t you hear what Father said?” His tone was fraught with meaning,
he murmured, “The coffee was very bitter.” “At first, Lucia seemed not to
understand” (Christie, 1998: 85).
In order to discover deeper truth about the cause of Sir Claud‟s death, the familyis asking more help from local doctor whom the family recognizes as Dr.
Kenneth Graham. When Dr. Graham has completed his examination on Sir Claud Amory, he discovered the cause of Sir Claud‟s death was due to poisoning by somekind of a strong vegetable alkaloid or hyoscine, as detective Poirot found several tubes of hyoscine on the drug box in library room. In other
words, Sir Claud was poisoned through his coffee. This statement also leads a
horrible fact that Sir Claud is murdered. “His death was due poisoning by a powerful vegetable alkaloid, Graham decalared” (Christie, 1998: 133).
c. Inquiry toward the Occupants of the House
In order to shed some light on the death of Sir Claud Amory and the
missing formula. Detective Poirot inquires the people who involved in the case
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and by this way detective Poirot might able to get anything from what they say
which could be the lead to the death of Sir Claud Amory and the missing
formula.
First inquiry with Tredwell, the butler who works for the Sir Claud‟s family. Tredwell says the situation has been a strange since the presence of the
Italian doctor in the house. The person that Tredwellis talking about was Dr.
Carelli and he was not unexpectedly to come. Eventhough, Mrs. Richard invited Dr. Carelli to stay for the weekend, it seems they‟re friends. Tredwell added his opinion that actually Mrs. Richard didn‟t want to invite Dr. Carelli to join her and the family to dinner and also it was odd that Dr. Carelli‟s being in the house.
the butler replied, “There have been strange things happening this evening, sir. I think I first felt that something was wrong when the Italian gentleman came to tea. And Miss Amory asked him to stay for the weekend, seing as how he was a friend of Mrs. Richard‟s” (Christie, 1998: 94).
Tredwell adds that Sir Claud also gives the instruction to lock the room‟s door untill detective Poirot‟s arrival. “The master told me to lock this door, as well the other one leading from this room, until you arrived” (Christie, 1988: 93).
After hearing the butler‟s opinion about Dr. Carelli, detective Poirot and
Captain Hasting perceived that Dr. Carelli might also interested in Sir Claud‟s formula.
In inquiry with Richard Amory, he tells detective Poirot that after dinner
in the earlier evening, Sir Claud and his secretary Raynor are heading straight
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father and his secretary, Raynor – Edward went straight in my father‟s study.
The rest of us were in here” (Christie, 1998: 111). Richard recalls that he and
the rest of people at the house were just talking and listening to the
Gramophone‟s music in the library room. Regarding to the coffee, Richard
remembers that the coffee is served to him and the others after dinner, except
Edward Raynor who doesn‟t take the coffee, because he is not coffee-drinker.
“All except Raynor, that is. He doesn‟t drink coffee” (Christie, 1998: 112). However, Raynor carried Sir Claud‟s coffe and delivered it to Sir Claud in his room. According to Richard, at that time Sir Claud comes out from his room
and entered into the library room just as Richard and the others are trying to
open the door of the library rooom. At the end, Richard adds that he is the one
who concerned and does not care much about the missing formula. His father
was already a wealthy man and what he discovered in Science was worth a lot
of money, therefore that won‟t be necessary to gain another numbers of
fortunate more than he has.
“I‟m the one concerned, and I tell you frankly that I don‟t care a damn about the formula. My father was a rich man. This discover of his was worth a great deal of money, but I don‟t need more than I‟ve got” (Christie, 1998: 115).
In inquiry with Dr. Carelli, he tells detective Poirot the reason of his
presence in the country is because he has a business in London. Dr. Carelli
thinks that science is also drawing his interest due his profession as a doctor,
but he does not have any intention to do with Sir Claud‟s formula. Regarding to the death of Sir Claud Amory, Dr. Carelli perceiveshis death as a liberty,
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because in his perspective Sir Claud is known as a an arrogant and tryant man.
His death seems doesn‟t concern Dr. Carelli for the time.
“I will tell you. It means freedom, Monsieur Poirot. Freedom, and what just mentioned just now – money. That old man was a tyrant, and apart from his beloved work he was a miser” (Christie, 1998: 150).
Dr. Carelli also claims that there are many people in the house who wanted Sir
Claud vanish. The last thing Dr Carelli gives is an information about a fearful feeling of a dangerous woman‟s existence in the house.
“I have eyes. I can see. At least three of the people inside this house wanted Sir Claud out of the way.” “I will tell you one thing more, Monsieur Poirot. There are some women whom it is dangerous to drive to
far” (Christie, 1998: 150-151).
Detective Poirot is not really understand about Dr. Carelli‟s last statements but it reminds him of something he had acknowledged in the past.
In inquiry with Caroline Amory, who feels a terrible shock about what
happened in the house, but she had to face it and kept her mind as usual.
According Caroline, it seems Richard does not care to the doctor and the most
afraid and poor person is Lucia, the Italian. Lucia does not seem fine, when she
falls faint after dinner. Caroline recalls that perhaps it is because Lucia is still
thinking about her lost jewelry. It happens two months ago and also Richard
had a quite quarell with Sir Claud. What they‟ve argued was nothing and it is
just about Richard‟s financial debt. On the other side, Sir Claud is known
active in science and all of his experiment spent a lot of money. Caroline adds
it is absurd when Lucia‟s jewelry is missing and she doesn‟t attempt to make a
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“Miss Amory assumed a thougtful expression. Let see see, it must have
been – yes, it was two months ago - just about the same time that Richard had such a quarrel with his father. It was only over Richard‟s debts” (Christie, 1998: 156).
“Although, indeed, Claud himself was never like that. He always so
studious, even he was a lad. Later, of course, his experiments always used up a lot of money. About two months ago they had quite a scene, and what with that, and Lucia‟s necklace missing, and her refusing to call in the Police, it was very upsetting time and so absurd” (Christie, 1998: 157). Richard Amory first meet Lucia in Italy on the last November and they are
married. Caroline describes Lucia as an orphan who lived alone in the world.
The presence of the Italian doctor is very unpleasant to Caroline herself. She
doesn‟t like Dr. Carelli because he is not being sincere and there is something
hidden inside him even he is the friend of Lucia.
“I‟ve said all along that I didn‟t like that man. That Dr. Carelli. There‟s something about him – not sincere – and so oily in manner. Of course, I don‟t say anythinng in front Lucia, since he is supposed to be a friend of hers, but I did not like him” (Christie, 1998: 162).
Regarding to the missing formula, Caroline tells detective Poirot that Dr.
Carelli who stole Sir Claud‟s formula and it is reasonable enough that Dr. Carelli is the only stranger who present in the house. And regarding to Sir
Claud‟s Coffee, Caroline tells also that she does not pour out the coffee for Sir
Claud, but it was Lucia. Caroline also recalls that Sir Claud‟s coffee is put on the table near a cup of coffee that belonges to Lucia‟s. Sir Claud‟s coffee is carried by Edward Raynor to Sir Claud‟s room. Lucia mistakenly takes the wrong cup and asks Raynor to change the right cup. Both of her coffee and Sir
Claud‟s are exactly the same in black and no sugar. Caroline also recalls that
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when Sir Claud finishes his coffe, he comes up with a complaining, Sir Claud
tells family that his coffee is tasted bitter.
“Miss Amory remembered. But he came back in here with the cup in his
hand. I remember his complaining about the taste, saying that it was bitter” (Christie, 1998: 167).
In inquiry with Edward Raynor, the secretary of Sir Claud Amory. Raynor
tells detective Poirot that the death of his employer is unexpected. The key
found by detective Poirot is confirmed it belongs to Sir Claud‟s and it is used to open the safe. In Raynor‟s opinion, that key was supposed to be put on proper place in Sir Claud‟s posssession.
“It looks rather like the key of Sir Claud‟s safe,” he observed. “But I understand from Mr. Amory that Sir Claud‟s key was in its proper place on his chain” (Christie, 1998: 170).
Raynor‟s presence in the house is specifically Sir Claud‟s secretary and
occasionally assisting Sir Claud with the Scientific works. Raynor tells Poirot
that one of his task is to manage all matters of Sir Claud‟s correspondence. “I have certain amount of scientific training, and I occasionally helped him with
his experiments” (Christie, 1998: 171). Raynor gives detective Poirot a letter
which was arrived two days ago. The content of that letter sounds annoying
and it seemsan anonymous person is trying to give a warning about someone
inside the house of Sir Claud Amory, regarding to that Letter Raynor shows his
curiosity about a lady named Selma Goetz.
In inquiry with Lucia Amory, she tellsdetective Poirot that she is horrified
to the news that Sir Claud was poisoned based on Dr. Graham‟s autopsy. At
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the person written on the letter in detective Poirot‟s hand, she does not recognize the name of Selma Goetz who died in the last November. Lucia says
she is never in Genoa in her life. But at last, Lucia admits that she is the
daughter of Selma Goetz. She does not want to reveal the truth to her
husband‟s family, because his husband is very proud of honor in his family‟s
name and quite respectable. “He is so proud of his family name, so proud of his honour” (Christie, 1998: 190).
Lucia feels ashamed of her life with her mother and the death of her mother
means free because she could get away from the life that full of intrigue and
lies. And when she met Richard Amory her life would change and becomes
wonderful.
“I felt degraded by it. When mama died, I was at last, free! Free to get
away from that life of lies and intrigue. I met Richard. That was the most wonderful thing had ever happened to me. Richard came into my life” (Christie, 1998: 190).
Somehow, Dr. Carelli recognizes her real identity and blackmails her to expose
her real identity in front of the whole family through the letter which received
by Sir Claud Amory. In order to avoid that shame, she sells her jewelry and
gives the money to keep him revealing the secrets. However, it is not the end of
all, because when Dr. Carelli hears about the new explosive formula invented
by Sir Claud Amory.
“I sold the necklace and paid him. I thought that was the end of it all. But yesterday he turned up here. He had heard of this fourmula that Sir Claud had invented” (Christie, 1998: 191).
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Lucia acknowledges that Dr. Carelli also wanted the formula in his hand. Lucia
states that Dr. Carelli also makes a duplicate key for her, so she could sneaking
up into Sir Claud‟s safe at the room and to get the formula, but unfortunately
their action can‟t reach the goal, because Sir Claud is also in the room. 2. Observing
In the crime scene, Detective Poirot along with Captain Hasting are trying
to resolve the case, by looking and observing all evidence, they might getthe
idea that the findings are the clues leading to the case. The crimes occurred in
the library room and they found several things on the crime scene:
a. A key is found on the floor
The first clue, detective Poirot found a key which is used open and lock a
safe. Poirot also observes that a safe is in Sir Claud‟s study room. And then he compares the key to a bunch of other keys he took from Sir Claud‟s attire. The key turned out is a duplicate and it is made for another purpose.
“A key,” Poirot replied. “It looks to me as though it might be the key of a
safe.” Poirot approached the body of the scientist and feeling in the trouser
pocket, removed from it a buch of keys, each of which he examined closely. “It‟s a duplicate. It is, indeed, clumsily made, but no doubt it
served its purpose” (Christie, 1998: 92-93).
b. A lady’s handbag left on the table
While looking around the room, detective Poirot caught sight of a handbag
which was left on the table, it seems belong to one of ladies in the house. He
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Poirot looked around the room. His eye alighted on the handbag which
Lucia had left on the table. “One of the ladies has left her bag, I see,” he
observed, as he picked it up (Christie, 1998: 96).
c. A coffee-cup of Sir Claud Amory
Detective Poirot enters alone to the library room where he and the other
men are, Poirot takes the cup that belongs to Sir Claud and then he smells its
scent carefully, and Poirot is also making a chemical test by pouring some the
coffee‟s dregs into his test-tube.
Poirot stood quite a still for moment or two, and then he picked up the coffee-cup. After smelling it cautiously, he took from his pocket a test-tube, poured some of the dregs from Sir Claud‟s cup into it and sealed the tube (Christie, 1998: 99).
d. The French windows and its curtains
Detective Poirot observes the windows in the library room which only
able to be opened by an ingenious device and there is a curtain located near
the windows. Detective Poirot suggests that the French windows are used by the occupants of the house as the way in and out from the libary room.
e. Coffee-cups found in the room
When detective Poirot is observing all details around the room, he
discovers there are numbers of coffee cups that have been served to the
occupants in the house. As Poirot figured, those cups are exactly the numbers
of six occupants in Sir Claud‟s house and they are served the coffee after diner. “he then proceeded to look around the room, counting the cups aloud.”
“One, two, three, four, five, six. Yes, six-coffee cups” (Christie, 1998: 99).
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However, in order to get more convincing clue detective Poirotrecalculates
the coffe-cups again. And it turns out, they are only five cups have been
served only to five people and also means there is one person who does not get or drink the coffee. “move about the room, counting the coffee cups again with a smile.” “One, two, three, four, five,” he murmured. “Five, indeed” (Christie, 1998: 101).
f. No speck of dust found on the drug case
As detective Poirot is helping Barbara Amory to reach the case
containing many variety of drugs, Poirot observes that the case is clean and
not covered in dusty. It also considered odd, because according to Barbara,
that case since last night is not dusty. Detective Poirot suggests that someone
had removed the drug case and taken something from it. “There was no dust on that box of drugs. Mademoiselle Barabara commented on the fact. But there should have been dust“ (Christie,1998: 258).
g. A nearly-empty tube of Hyoscine
Detective Poirot observes the contents of the drug case and his view
become astonishing, because a tube of hyoscinesis found in condition of nearly empty. “Here it is a tube of hyoscine, nearly empty!” (Christie, 1998: 128). Barbara thinks it is odd, in the past night those tubes were full. “Why,
they were all full last night. I‟m sure they were” (Christie, 1998: 128).
Detective deduces that someone in the house had taken some those
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35 h. The paper spills known as the Formula
Detective Poirot takes a vase in the library and pull a paper spill from
inside. Poirot discovered that paper spill was the formula which contained
with particular codes. Poirot assumes that someone in the house hid the
formula intothe vase after murdered Sir Claud in the library room. And as
addition, based on the inquiry detective Poirot with the people at Sir Claud‟s house, sometimes in the evening there was also a noise of tearing object which
one of the occupant heard about.
”Tearing silk!” exclaimed Poirot. “The sound is the same.” He stared at the paper spills, and snatched up the vase that contained them. “Tearing paper,” he continued as he moved away from the mantlepiece. Poirot stood, tumbling ourt the spills onto the settee, and examining them. Every now and then he handed one to Hastings, muttering, “Here is one. Ah, another, and yet another.” Hastings unfolded the spills and
scrutinized them. “C193 n23 – “ he began to read aloud from one of
them. “Yest, yes!” exclaimed Poirot. “It is the formula!” (Christie, 1998: 247-248).
Detective Poirot puts it back into the vase, because he feels the culprit might
want to get it back and escape if he gets the chance.
3. Revealing the actual suspect and the truth
Based on findings that detective Poirot discovered, the culprit who
murdered Sir Claud Amory and stole the formula is Edward Raynor, Sir
Claud‟s secretary. Detective Poirot apprehends Raynor by tricking him into a
game as an advantage for detective Poirot to recover the missing formula.
However, Raynor also does not expect that his plan at first went awry since
the arrival of Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings on Sir Claud‟s house. At
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the last moment, Poirot feels the drink that he tasted is bitter, as exactly what
was happening to Sir Claud Amory. Raynor admits that he murdered Sir
Claud Amory by mixing Sir Claud‟s coffee with the some of the hyoscine
liquid and also stole the fomula from the Sir Claud‟s safe in the room.
“You see, my dear Monsieur Poirot, I took not just one but several tubes of hyoscine from the that box. If anything, you have had slightly more than I gave Sir Claud” (Christie, 1998:261).
The reason he commits those crimes is because all about a lot of money.
Raynor imagines that the price of the fomula would worth about fifty
thousand pounds and it brings him a new life.
“You see, I‟m playing big stakes. That piece of paper, delivered in the
right quarters, means fifty thousand pounds to me” “Just think what a
man of my ability can do with fifty thousand pounds” (Christie, 1998: 260).
It is revealed that Raynor hid the formula on the mantlepiece at the
library room, while detective Poirot is remained motionless sitting in the chair
because of the poisoned whisky. But in the end, the truth and justice always
win as detective Poirot rises alive from his chair and Raynor is able to be
arrested by Police Inspector Japp and his subordinates based on Raynor‟s confession and several evidence. Detective Poirot tells Raynor that he is outplayed by detective Poirot‟s own game.
“You see?” Poirot adressed Raynor in his kindliest manner. “I refused to play in your comedy. Instead, I made you play in mine. In my note, I gave instructions to Japp and and also to Hastings. Then I make things easy for you by complaining the heat. I know you will suggest a drink” (Christie, 1998: 263).
Detective Poirot has already suspected Edward Raynor as an intelligent
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formula. “I have observed already that you are intelligent, Poirot replied.” (Christie, 1998: 264).
4. Concluding
Detective Poirot finally concludes the case based on the acquired
informations and several findings on the crime scene, it began with Sir Claud‟s concern that one of the occupants in his house was attempting to steal the formula. Obviously, it happened when the formula was stolen from the
safe. Sir Claud had already suspected his daughter in-law, Lucia who was
about to commit the theft of the formula. However, this suspicion is already
drawing Sir Claud‟s attention from the beginning, because Sir Claud has received an anonymous letter come from the past few weeks. The contents of
the letter aretrying to warn someone‟s presence in the house who has a relationship with the infamous spy, Selma Goetz. But at certain point, it
seems Dr. Carelli recognized Lucia‟s identity and her background as the Italian.
“I fear that Sir Claud may have suspected you of the planning to steal his formula because, a few week ago, someone – no doubt an ex-colleague of Carelli, for people of that kind are continually falling out someone, I say, sent Sir Claud an anonymous letter about your mother” (Christie, 1998: 270-271).
In order to avoid the embarrasment, Lucia secretly sells her diamond necklace
and gives the money to buy Carelli‟s silence and Lucia only tells her family a different story that her jewelry was stolen but she does not report that matterto
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the Police. However, Lucia‟s action is not the end to keep Dr. Carelli to expose the secret, because Dr. Carelli asks for more since he hears about Sir
Claud‟s new developed formula for explosive ordnance and itis worth a lot of
money. Although, their action and their reasons are not prove anything solid to
the Sir Claud‟s death and the missing formula. Dr. Carelli‟s reason is not
because his interest on what Sir Claud has discovered in his work, but his
fearful feeling for Lucia Amory, the wife of Richard Amory who later known
as the daughter of Selma Goetz, the most infamous internationl spy. When
Detective Poirot and Captain Hastings arrived at the house, the situation has
become worse, Sir Claud is found dead in his chair. Based on some findings
and medical autopsy which handled by Dr. Kenneth Graham, the cause of Sir
Claud‟s death is poisoned coffee. The poisons come from some kind of
vegetable alkaloid or hyoscine. The result of Dr. Graham‟s autopsy on Sir
Claud‟s body indicates one the fact that someone in the house has poisoned
Sir Claud‟s coffee and stole the formula. These statement is supported when detective Poirot found some of hyoscine tubes in nearly empty condition, and
then detective Poirot deduces a theory that someone had taken the hyoscine
tubes form the drug box in the library. Another things detective Poirot
acquires from the occupants of house that Sir Claud complains his coffee is
tasted bitter and there are only five coffee-cups served to the occupants, but
the number of the occupants are six who presented in the house. It becomes
more exciting that only Edward Raynor, Sir Claud‟s secretary who does not drink coffee in the other evening after dinner. In the end, detective Poirot
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least. And sometimes that action could be regarded as good or bad depend on the
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Bonn, Julien D. A Comprehensive Dictionary of Literauture. New Delhi: Abishek, 2010.
Booth, Allison, J. Paul Hunter, and Kelly J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to
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Butcher, S. H. The Poetics of Aristotle: A Translation. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania State University, 2000.
Childs, Peter and Roger Fowler. The Roudledge Dicionary of Literary Terms. London: Routledge, 1987.
Christie, Agatha. Black Coffee. New York: St. Martin‟s Press, 1998. Constantakis, Sara. Novels for Student.San Fransisco: Gale, 2009.
Guerin, Wilfred L., Earle Labor, Lee Morgan, Jeanne C. Reesman, and John R.Willingham.A Handbook of Critical Approaches toLiterature.Oxford: University Press, 1999.
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Holman, C. Hugh and Harmon William. A Handbook to Literature. New York: Macmillan, 1986.
James, P.D. Murder and Mystery: Craft of the Detective Story. Stockholm: The Adams Helms Lecture, 1997.
Kennedy, X.J. and Dana Gioia. An Introduction to Fiction. New York: Longman, 2007.
Kenney, William P. How to Analyze Fiction. New York: Monarch Press, 1966. Kermode, Frank. The Art of Telling: Essays on Fiction. Cambridge: Harvard
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Knight, Stephen. Form and Ideology in Crime Fiction. London: Macmillan Press, 1980.
Kyzlinková, Lidia. Social Issues In Agatha Christie’s Mysteries: Country, Class,
Crime, Clothes, and Children. Thesis. Brno: Brněnské Univerzity, 1997.
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Onderková, Kristýna. Sherlcok Holmes vs Hercule Poirot: The Comparison A.C. Doyle’s and A. Christie’s Great detectives. Thesis. Brno: Masaryk University, 2005.
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49 APPENDIX
Summary of the Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee.
Hercule Poirot lives at his apartment in London and he retired as detective. However, a sudden call is coming from a gentleman known as Sir Claud Amory. Poirot recognizes Sir Claud as the famous Scientist whom Poirot has ever dealt with concerning the government‟s missing documents and Sir Claud Amory is
known as the best man who experts on the invention of Government‟s arsenal.
The reason Sir Claud calls detective Poirot is helping him to retrieve the formula back to London, because Sir Claud fears that someone in his residence wants to steal the formula. The formula what Sir Claud mean is a directive for explosive ordinance or the atom which destined for the Ministry of Defence. It is regarded as most impotant by the Government. Sir Claud also thinks that Poirot is right man to take care of the formula, so he can hand it over to certain official of Government in London.
But even worse, Poirot and his colleague, Captain Hastings arrived too late
on Sir Claud‟s house, they only face the worse circumstances that Sir Claud is already dead while he remains sitting in his chair and the formula is also missing
from the premises. The death of Sir Claud is weird, because from Lucia‟s
perspective Sir Claud seems in good healthy as he lives and breaths. In other thing, based on Dr. Carelli‟s examination on Sir Claud‟s body, it seems that the
cause of Sir Claud‟s death is a sudden heart-attack. The fact is not acceptable and then the family is enlisting more help from local doctor known to the family as
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Dr. Kenneth Graham. When Dr. Graham makes his first check on Sir Claud‟s
body, he perceives Sir Claud death‟s is weird as well and in order to discover deeper truth about Sir Claud‟s death, Dr. Graham must conduct examination
thoroughly in autopsy. Detective Poirot along Captain Hastings begin the investigation on the crime occures in the library. Poirot discovers several things during the investigation. First, a key found on the floor that is made for certain purpose, a tube of hyoscines, and a letter which sounds to warn someone in the house.
In the next scene, Dr. Graham comes to the house of Sir Claud Amory and
announces the result of autopsy on Sir Claud‟s death, Dr. Graham concludes that Sir Claud‟s death is because of poisoning through his coffee and in other words,
Sir Claud is intentionally murdered. Poirot also thinks the Sir Claud‟s death as well, because he observes Sir Claud‟s coffee-cup and a tube of hyoscine is on the crime scene. Those findings put Lucia Amory and Dr. Carelli as the first possible suspect. But in the end, based on another findings and facts, the actual suspect is Edward Raynor the secretary of Sir Claud Amory. Raynor murdered
Sir Claud by mixing Sir Claud‟s coffee with liquid of hyoscine and steals the
formula which he hid on a vase in library. The reason he does the crimes is because of money.
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